Outdoor breathing trials with simulated avalanche snow are fundamental for the research of the gas exchange under avalanche snow, which supports the development of the international resuscitation guidelines. However, these studies have to face numerous problems, including unstable weather and variable snow properties. This pilot study examines a mineral material perlite as a potential snow model for studies of ventilation and gas exchange parameters. Thirteen male subjects underwent three breathing phases-into snow, wet perlite and dry perlite. The resulting trends of gas exchange parameters in all tested materials were similar and when there was a significant difference observed, the trends in the parameters for high density snow used in the study lay in between the trends in dry and wet perlite. These findings, together with its stability and accessibility year-round, make perlite a potential avalanche snow model material. Perlite seems suitable especially for simulation and preparation of breathing trials assessing gas exchange under avalanche snow, and potentially for testing of new avalanche safety equipment before their validation in real snow.The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on January 22, 2018; the registration number is NCT03413878.

Department of Adapted Physical Education and Sport Medicine Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Department of Biomedical Technology Faculty of Biomedical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Prague Czech Republic

Department of Physics Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Prague Czech Republic

Military Department Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Charles University Prague Czech Republic

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Pulse Oximeter Performance during Rapid Desaturation

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ClinicalTrials.gov
NCT03413878